An iconic summer dish and as with all ladera dishes, feta really compliments this dish. For plant based diets, leave as is, it is still delicious!
Ingredients (serves 2)
For the beans
- 300g French beans
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
- 1 medium size onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3-4 ripe tomatoes
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
For the crumb
- 15g panko crumbs
- 15g almond flakes
- 50g Greek feta
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- Salt & pepper
Method
Rinse the French beans and drain in a colander.
Cut a cross with a sharp knife on both the top and bottom of the tomatoes. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and drop the tomatoes in for 30 seconds. Remove and rinse under the tap of cold water to stop them from cooking. Peel, cut, remove the seeds and chop the flesh finely.
Bring a saucepan with the olive oil to a medium heat and add the onion. Sweat for 4-5 minutes until translucent and add the garlic. Continue cooking for a couple more minutes and add the tomato paste. Stir for a minute or so and add the French beans. Stir well to coat and add the chopped tomatoes and bouillon. Pour 150ml of hot water, stir and bring to the boil. Cover the saucepan, lower the heat and cook until the beans are soft and the sauce has thickened, approx. 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200 0 C.
Start by making the crumb. On a shallow baking tin, mix all the ingredients together, crumbling the feta with your hands and ensuring that everything is incorporated in what look like coarse breadcrumbs. Season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper and bake for approx. 10 minutes until crunchy and golden.
To serve, place a couple of large spoonfuls on each plate, sprinkle generously with the crumb, drizzle with a little more extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve with more feta on the side if you wish and some crusty bread.